Bowl projections from major media outlets for Arizona predict the Wildcats will remain a driveable distance from Tucson for the postseason. Seven media outlets with eight projections predict four bowl games with seven different bowl opponents for Arizona.
The most common projection for Arizona continues to be the Sun Bowl. College Football News, Sports Illustrated an USA Today all project Arizona to play in the Sun Bowl. The College Football News projects Arizona to play Virginia in El Paso an Sports Illustrated and USA Today project the opponent to be SMU.
Athlon Sports and On3 project Arizona to play Boise State in the L.A. Bowl. ESPN projects Arizona to play in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl with writer Kyle Bonagura predicting that the opponent would be UNLV and his college Mark Schlabach selecting New Mexico as the opposition.
CBS Sports is the dissenter with their projection that Arizona would play Iowa in the Rate Bowl. Arizona has never played in the Rate or L.A. Bowls. Arizona has multiple appearances in the Sun Bowl and New Mexico Bowls.
Media Outlet | Bowl | Location | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Athlon Sports | L.A. Bowl | Los Angeles | Boise State | December 13 |
Kyle Bonagura-ESPN | Isleta New Mexico Bowl | Albuquerque | UNLV | December 27 |
Mark Schlabach-ESPN | Isleta New Mexico Bowl | Albuquerque | New Mexico | December 31 |
CBS Sports | Rate Bowl | Phoenix | Iowa | December 26 |
College Football News | Sun Bowl | El Paso | Virginia | January, 2, 2026 |
On3 | L.A. Bowl | Los Angeles | Boise State | December 13 |
Sports Illustrated | Sun Bowl | El Paso | SMU | December 31 |
USA Today | Sun Bowl | El Paso | SMU | December 31 |
Boise State beat Arizona 38-30 in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl in the only meeting between the programs. Arizona has won all three games against UNLV. The Wildcats won the last two games against the Rebels by the same 58-13 final scores in 2013 and 2014.
The most extensive series for Arizona against projected bowl opponents is 45 wins, 20 losses and three ties versus New Mexico. Arizona beat New Mexico 61-39 in the 2024 season opener in the last game played between the two longtime rivals.
Arizona split home games with SMU. The Mustangs won 29-7 in 1938. Arizona tied the series with a 28-6 win during the 1985 season. Arizona has never played Virginia, but leads the all-time series against Iowa with seven wins to six for the Hawkeyes.
With four wins and three losses, Arizona needs two wins in its final five games to become bowl eligible. Arizona has earned only one bowl berth since the 2017 season. A 38-24 win over Oklahoma in the 2023 Alamo Bowl is the only postseason win for Arizona since 2015.